My New Reality
by Dobbysocks5678
Summary: Sixteen year old Eliza Longbottom is smart, pretty, responsible, witty, a prefect, and a Quidditch star. Her life is almost perfect... Until she discovers she's pregnant with James Potter's baby.
1. A beginning of sorts

I stare down at the small white stick in my hand, my eyes fixed on the little pink plus that is displayed on it. I feel like my world is falling around my feet. I look up slowly, making eye contact with Rose.

She looks at me with concern. "Well?"

I open my mouth slowly, but no words come out. Instead, I drop the white stick and sprint into a bathroom stall, emptying the contents of my stomach into the toilet. Rose sprints to my side, rubbing my back, trying to utter soothing words.

But nothing she says will help.

Why? Because I'm pregnant with James Potter's baby.

If you understood the history between James and I, you would realize what a problem this is. James has been my best friend since the day I was born. I'm exactly one year younger than him. Although I'm closer in age to Albus, I clicked with James much more. Don't get me wrong, I love Al like a brother, but there's just something... Different about James.

What's different is that I, Eliza Minerva Longbottom, been in love with James since I learned that cooties weren't actually real.

So of course, when James, drunk and smiling crookedly, came up to me at the Quidditch team's first social gathering of the year and kissed me softly on the cheek, then asked me if we could go talk privately, I took his hand and blindly followed him to his dormitory without a single question.

Hours later, I woke up in James' bed. Alone.

He had come up to me in the common room the next night, his rectangular glasses were crooked and his chronically messy hair was... Messier, if that was possible. "Hey little E," he had grinned, pulling one of my blonde curls.

I looked up at him sheepishly. "Hello," I had smiled quietly.

"I just wanted to apologize."

I looked up at him with what must have been an extremely confused expression. "Apologize?"

"Yeah... We both know that we weren't in our right minds up there. Drunk." He smiled crookedly. I wanted to punch him square in the nose. In his perfect, straight, wonderful nose. Maybe it would knock that stupid crooked smile off of his face.

I looked down. "Oh. Right."

And then he walked away, leaving me standing alone. Why I thought this would this would be a good idea... I will never know.

So now, here I stand. sixteen. A prefect. Excellent marks, straight Outstandings on my OWLs, star Chaser on the Quidditch team, and knocked up by my best friend. My best friend who has positively zero romantic interest in me.

Longbottom, you bloody fool.

It's almost comical. Of course it would happen to me. "I've been good," I say loudly, quite hysterical. "I've been careful! I've only... Been with someone," I say uncomfortably, "one single time! Once! How did this happen to me?"

Rose sighs deeply, looking down at me. "Sometimes that's the way it works, Lize," she says softly.

I groan, putting my head in my hands. "How am I supposed to tell my dad?"

Rose gives me a weak grimace. "Eliza... How are you gonna tell James?"

My stomach lurches.I stare down at her- with a face that must be paler than Moaning Mertyl's. "T-tell James?"

Rose nods slowly. I feel like I'm going to be sick again. This baby inside of me is his. His baby. James Sirius Potter is the father of my unborn child. This little person inside of me is half... James Potter.

Who knew such a little person could be such a big problem?


	2. Things begin to complicate

The great hall has become my own personal hell hole. The smells of the food, the sounds of people eating... Worst of all, the sight of my little brother chomping with his mouth open.

"Joseph Frank Longbottom!" I snap, slamming my hand on the table. He looks up at me with a confused expression. "Chew. With. Your. Mouth. Closed."

Joseph scowls. "What the bloody hell is your problem lately? You've been an emotional train wreck for the past week."

I stare at him for a moment before dissolving into tears. If only he knew the discovery I had made on Tuesday. He would understand why I was the emotional equivalent of a Blast Ended Skrewt.

Rose puts her hands on my shoulder. "For the love of Merlin, Joey. Leave her alone", she says softly, standing me up. "Let's go up to the common room, Lize."

Lily sits down at the table, giving me and Rose a confused expression. "Rosie, Eliza... You aren't gonna go to Hogsmead?"

Rose shakes her head and starts to push my shoulders slightly, moving me forward. "Nah," she says. "Eliza here isn't having the greatest day."

"Or week," Joey mutters.

"Shut u-up," I sob. I'm sure I look psychotic, with Rose pushing me from the great hall as I sob uncontrollably.

"Alright, Little E?" I hear James' voice from a bench at the table. Suddenly I feel quite nauseous.

"Obviously not, James," I hear Fred retort. "Looks a bit down, doesn't she?"

"I think I know what will cheer her up," Albus says with a grin. "James, why not ask the lady to accompany you to Hogsmead today?"

"That sounds like a right lovely idea," I hear Louis say. I distinctly hear Scorpius laugh.

_Please no. Please no. For the love of Merlin please do not ask me_.

"Yeah alright," I hear James laugh. I'm frozen to my spot, somehow not able to move as Rose pushes all her weight against my shoulders. James lifts a protesting Rose out of the way, and grasps my shoulders, turning me to face him. "Eliza Minerva Longbottom," he says dramatically. "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to Hogsmead this fine Saturday afternoon?

"Uh..." I can see Rose shaking her head no. "N-"

Good Godric, he's got pretty eyes. "Y-yeah, alright."

"She isn't well! She. Can't. Go." Rose stomps her foot. "And all of you idiots teasing her isn't helping," she snaps.

Scorpius sighs. "Rosie, we're just playing around. We aren't teasing her..."

"Don't you 'Rosie' me, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy," Rose snaps at her boyfriend.

"Watch out, Scorp," Hugo Weasley says, rolling his eyes at his sister as he approaches the table. "She's got the look mum gets when she's angry. I wouldn't mess with her."

Rose rolls her eyes. "Bugger off, all of you. She just isn't going to go."

I feel myself frown. "I can make my own decisions," I snap at Rose. "Fine, James," I say slowly. "I will go with you. If it'll make all of you idiots happy," I look pointedly around the group of boys around the table. "You may meet me in the common room in an hour," I say to James,

before turning on my heel and pulling Rose by her wrist from the great hall.

Rose looks dumbstruck. "E-Eliza," she says very slowly. "Do you realize what you just did?" I shrug. "Eliza... You just accepted a date with James... You have to spend all day with him now."

I suddenly feel like I need to vomit again. "Oh Merlin."

I pick up the pace, trying to get to the bathroom more quickly. I run into someone taller than me. Very solid. Very male. "Hello princess," I hear the surprised voice of my father. I look up slowly into his stubbley face. He smiles down at me. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"

I catch a distinct whiff of the laundry soap that his cloak is washed in. If I don't get to the toilet in about five seconds...

"Lizie, you don't look too well," he says slowly.

The combination of the soap smell, the stress of having a conversation with my father, and the stress of facing an entire day spent one on one with James is making the room spin. "I'm gonna-" I cover my mouth and run to the edge of the staircase, emptying the contents of my stomach over the side of the railing. I hear the squeals of the people below, but honestly, I couldn't give a damn. I wipe my mouth on the back of my hand, feeling much better.

My father looks horrified. "Eliza... what's wrong?"

I shake my head. "Nothing, daddy. I just don't feel well. That's all. I ate uh... I had some cockroach clusters."

_Oh yes. That'll convince him._

He looks entirely confused. "Rose... Take her back to the common room. She looks peaky." He kisses my forehead softly.

As she pulls me away, she scowls. "You aren't going on that date, Eliza. You aren't in a state to deal with this today."

"No," I say quickly as we approach the portrait hole. "You're gonna help me get ready, and I'm going to go." I take a deep breath. "I'm gonna tell him today."

**Author's Note:**

**Hello my sweet readers! Thank you so much for taking an interest in my story! Please continue to review and follow the story- I love to hear from you all! **


	3. World's worst date part 1

Chapter 3- Forgetting how to speak

"That... Should... Do it," Dominique says, giving me a smile. When I told Rose I was going on the date, she agreed we would need to bring in the big guns to help me get ready.

Who better to help you look beautiful than a half-veela?

"Well, look at yourself," Rose snaps, pointing at the mirror. I look into it, shocked at the person I see there. "Dom... You did a really good job."

Dominique smiles and tosses her short blonde bob over her shoulder. "I know."

She had lined my eyes lightly, bringing out the gold flecks in the brown. My waist length hair, which is naturally unmanageably curly, is half pulled off my face and lies flat down my back. I'm wearing a light blue jumper and a pair of beige trousers. I look... Good.

"Now go!" Dom pushes me out the door.

"Good luck, Liza," Rose and Dom squeal, waving me down the stairs.

I take a deep breath and walk down the stairs. As I round the corner at the bottom of the stairs, I see James standing by the fire place. He's wearing a green jumper- which I'm sure makes his hazel eyes unbelievably beautiful, and a pair of jeans. He's running his hands through his hair and he looks... Nervous. I catch myself smiling slightly.

"Hullo," I grin, walking to the fireplace. He turns on his heel to face me.

"Lize... You look really different," he says slowly.

I frown.

"Good different!" He says quickly. "Just... Different. Anyways," he extends his arm. "Shall we go, then?"

I laugh and nod, taking his arm. As we walk in comfortable silence, I suddenly feel confident. James is my best friend. Of course I can tell him. He'll understand.

"Um... James, I-"

"D'you think I could ever get Emily Thomas to go out with me?"

_Of course._

I feel my confidence and happiness dissolve inside me like a sugar quill in the rain. It's quickly replaced by bubbling anger. "You... You're asking me for relationship advice on a date? You really took me out to talk about another girl?"

James gives me a look. "A date? Is that what this is?" He shrugs. "Sorry, pal. Won't bring her up again.

_Pal. Ouch._

I scowl, removing my arm from his grasp. "Of course she'll go out with you," I snap, crossing my arms. "Any slag will throw herself at you."

Emily Thomas isn't a slag by any means. She's actually one of the kindest people I know. I feel slightly guilty after saying it... But it's the principle of the thing.

James frowns. "What's your issue, Little E?"

Ignoring the question, I charge forward. My father is standing at the entrance to Hogsmead. "Hi dad," I say loudly. I could just tell him right now. Maybe if I get lucky, my dad will kill him right on the spot.

"Hello angel!" My dad waves excitedly. "Hello James!" He grins. "I thought you weren't feeling well, Lizie."

James trots up behind me. "Well, when James Potter asks you to go to Hogsmead with him, you simply don't refuse," he teases. "How are you, Neville?" He flashes my dad a charming smile.

_Bloody prick._

My dad laughs. "I'm well," he grins. "Thank you, James. I hope you two have a good time." He turns to me. "And if you see Charlie in Hogsmead, send him back. I'm going to find your mother."

Charlie is my twelve year old little brother. He's also quite the trouble maker. It all starts to make sense. My father must have been standing guard by the gates to catch Charlie sneaking in with his older friends. "Will do, dad," I sigh.

"C'mon, Lize," James gives my arm a tug. I reluctantly go, dragging my feet. "Where to first?"

"Three Broomsticks," I grumble.

He shrugs and drags me into the little pub. A chorus of "Hey, Potter!" Greets us as we walk through the door. James waves at his adoring public, and I stalk moodily to a table, slamming myself into a seat. I look down at my abdomen. This baby will be pure hell to deliver if his head is anywhere near as large as his father's.

_Get it? I made a pun._

After chatting with half of the desperate girls at Hogwarts, James takes a seat across from me. "Not a bad looking group today," he grins cockily.

"You're an ass," I say flatly.

James smile widens. "Do I sense some jealousy, Longbottom?"

"Nope."

"Oh come on! It drives you mad that all these girls want me. I can see it on your face!"

"They won't want you for much longer," I snap, my anger beginning to get the better of me.

"And why is that?" He says with a small chuckle.

"Cause I'm pregnant," I say quietly. "And it's yours."

**Author's note:**

**Alright I know this chapter isn't great. So sorry! Thank you for reading and following! It means the world to me. Please please review! I'd love to hear from all of you! Xoxo!**


	4. World's worst date- part 2

Chapter 4: World's worst date part 2

James' round hazel eyes are unnaturally wide behind his rectangular glasses. His face is completely drained of color. Yet, he has a wide smile. Too wide. He actually looks... A little mental, to be honest.

"Funny, Liza," he says, his voice about an octave higher than usual. "Really, Lize, that's hysterical. I knew there was a reason you're my best mate. You have such a good sense of humor." He's speaking very quickly. "What do you want to drink, then?" He giggles nervously.

"James..."

"Can you imagine? Me as a father?" He gives another high pitched giggle. "It's funny, because I'm a prat! And a screw up! I'm selfish and immature. It's a good thing you're kidding, Eliza."

I take a deep breath. "James, I'm not ki-"

"Cause even Dot is a lot for me to handle," he's referring to Dora, Teddy and Vic's one and a half year old daughter. "Being a dad... That's just like one big babysitting job! For the rest of your life! I don't know how Ted does it." He smiles. His eyes look wide... And wild.

"James..." I'm speaking slowly, as if I were talking to a toddler. "I'm pregnant. It's not a joke... And it is yours."

He stands up quickly, then sits down again. He starts running his hands through his messy hair.

_Sweet Merlin, he's going loony. My poor kid is gonna have to visit its dad in St Mungos along with its Great Gran and Grandad._

"James," I say calmly, standing up and taking his hand. "Let's go to a more private place. We can talk this through."

He nods and stands. We walk out the door of the pub just as Rose and Scorpius are walking in. "You... You alright, James?" Scorpius looks suddenly alarmed. "You're white as a sheet."

Rose gives me a knowing look. "He's fine, Love," she says quickly, pushing him through the door. "Good luck," she whispers to me.

James still hasn't spoken. "James... James, please say something," I whisper.

"I'm gonna ruin this kid's life," he says as we round the corner into an empty alleyway. He leans up against the brick wall and slides to a sitting position. He places his head in his hands. "Eliza, I can't be a father," he says slowly, his eyes filled with fear.

I clench my jaw. "Fine," I say angrily. "Just forget I told you. You can just forget about the kid, and being a father, and go back to being James Potter the playboy." I laugh humorlessly. "James Potter the Prankster. James Potter, the bloody asshole of the centurity!" I turn on my heel and storm away. I walk down the streets of Hogsmead, desperately fighting back tears.

[I just need a place to go cry in peace. Somewhere nobody will go.]

I hear a twinkling bell.

_Madame Puddifoot's. Perfect_

I run quickly into the shop and straight into the bathroom. I lock myself in a stall and begin to cry. It isn't a pretty cry, either. It's a 'My life is over, the love of my life wants nothing to do with me, and I'll never get my hair to look this good again' kind of cry. The kind where you gasp for breath, and snot runs down your face. I'm mentally thanking god that I'm the only person in the bathroom, when I hear a small cough... From above me.

I look up into the face of my twelve year old brother Charlie. "Hullo," he gives me a buck-toothed grin.

"CHARLIE." I stand up quickly. "What the bloody hell are you doing in Hogsmead? In the ladies' lav?!"

His smile doesn't falter. "Actually, Sis, I-"

"And do you usually peek over the stall?" I'm still screaming. "Charlie, that's so creepy!"

He gives me a smirk. I want to rip his curly blonde hair out.

_Honestly, I get no respect from anybody._

"You need to be more careful about reading signs, my dear sister," he says, raising one eyebrow.

I frown slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He grins widely. "This is the Men's Lav."

I feel myself blush. "Wonderful," I say slowly, my eyes beginning to fill with tears again. "I just can't seem to get a break."

Charlie's smile begins to disappear slightly. "Lize? What's... What's the matter?"

"I'm pregnant," I say flatly. I've decided just to come right out and tell people. Charlie will find out eventually, and I'd rather it come from me than some attention-starved Hufflepuff or something,

Charlie looks thoroughly confused. "But you... You don't even have a boyfriend."

_Thanks for the comfort, Char. You really know what to say to help a girl feel better._

I dissolve back into tears. "It's J-James'," I sob.

"Don't cry, Lizie," Charlie says softly. "It'll all be okay."

"F-fat chance of t-that," I weep.

Charlie doesn't say anything else. He simply reaches his hand down, and I take it. I suddenly feel like I'm not so... Alone. Brothers are funny that way, I suppose. They can drive you absolutely mad, but they'll always protect you.

"Let's get you back to the castle," Charlie says softly.

"Okay."

We walk back through the secret tunnel under Honeydukes. I know it's so that he doesn't get caught, but I like to think it's so nobody will see me cry. When we get back into the castle, I turn to him. "Don't go back to Hogsmead, Charlie. Dad'll flip if he gets word you snuck in again."

Charlie rolls his eyes. "Alright." We approach the Fat Lady, and she smiles down at us.

"Password?"

"Screw off," I snap moodily.

_Good hell. These mood swings..._

"I say!" She looks quite scandalized. "Never, have I ever, been treated with su-"

"Boomslang," Charlie says impatiently.

"Indeed," the Fat Lady huffs, swinging open.

We walk into the common room to find Lily Potter and Joey snogging on a sofa.

"Gross!" Charlie looks thoroughly disgusted.

I roll my eyes. "Detention, both of you," I snap.

"What the hell?" Joey looks furious. Lily just looks humiliated.

"I'm a Prefect, Joseph. I'm allowed to punish behavior I deem inappropriate."

_Abusing my power. Best part of the job._

"I can't stand you lately!" Joseph is on his feet. "You're being awful to everyone! I hate it!"

Lily puts her hand on his shoulder. "Joey..."

He pushes her hand away. "No! There's a reason people hate you, Eliza!"

I push him back onto the sofa and storm upstairs to my dorm. I can hear Charlie and Joey screaming.

"Don't you talk to her like that," Charlie yells.

"Why are you defending her?"

"Cause you don't know what's going on in her life, you twat! You're too focused on your own life to even care!"

I slam the door, not in the mood to deal with this. I can still hear them screaming, but it's slightly muffled. I lie down on my bed and cry. I cry because my parents will be disappointed in me. I cry because James doesn't want anything to do with me. I cry because I still love him. I cry because now my brothers are fighting.

I cry because I don't know how I'm ever gonna be a good mom. I've never felt so alone.

Hours later, I creep down into the common room. I can hear someone crying. I poke my head around the corner, peeking in. To my surprise, it's James.

He looks up. "Hi."

"Hello," I say softly, sitting beside him. He takes me up into a sort of half hug. I lift my legs and set them over his lap. As he links his arms around me, I rest my head on his chest.

"We'll get through this, right Lize?"

I nod silently against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

He kisses the top of my head. "We can do this."

_Maybe it wasn't the worlds worst date after all_.

**Author's note:**

**Hey there! Quick update, I know:) I just wanted to thank all of you for reading and following the story. It means the world to me! Please review- I love to hear from you! Xoxo**


	5. It's a Family Matter

**Chapter 5: Its a Family Matter**

I wake up on the sofa with James. Judging by the weak light that is leaking through the window, it's only about five in the morning. I look up at James. His glasses are crooked on his nose, he's frowning slightly, and there's a deep crease between his eyebrows. There's not a trace of his manic expressions from yesterday, yet, even sleeping, he looks more serious and concerned than I've ever seen him before.

"James," I whisper, nudging him slightly.

He squints his eyes open. "Eh?" He looks confused.

"James, we stayed down here all night."

He frowns, looking quite disoriented. "Oh. Oh yeah," it looks as though the memories of yesterday are beginning to return. He looks down at me and sighs. "How are you feeling?"

"A little naseuous."

"No, no," he shakes his head. "I mean about all of this. About..." He looks down at my stomach.

"Oh, you mean how do I feel about our spawn that currently resides in my uterus?"

_You really must control that sarcasm, Eliza. It isn't attractive_.

James frowns again. "Don't call it our spawn! That's horrifying. That right there is a future Gryffindor Quidditch team captain."

I look down. "If my parents don't kill us first."

He sighs. "I think we need to tell them today."

I shake my head vigorously. "No! I'm not ready! I'm not okay with it yet, how the bloody hell am I going to convince them to be?" I look up at him. "Why are you so okay with it? How have you come to grips so quickly?"

He scowls. "You think I'm okay with it? You think I'm excited that my teenage years are officially over?" He's practically growling.

"James, don't."

"You think I wanted this to happen? I didn't! I don't! But Eliza- there isn't anything we can do about it! We have to come to grips with the situation eventually!"

He sounds angry... But that isn't what's upsetting me.

_Whats upsetting me is that he sounds grown up._

I feel tears well up in my eyes. "My parents are going to hate me!"

James shakes his head slowly. "They won't. Will they be disappointed? Probably. Will they want to kill me? Oh, definitely. Eliza Minerva Longbottom, your parents could never hate you."

_That James. He's always known what to say._

I wipe my eyes. "When do you want to tell them?"

"After breakfast?" His freckled face is starting to turn slightly green. He looks nervous.

"Okay."

I say goodbye to James and head up to the dormitory lavatory. I run the bathtub as I feel my annual morning wave of nausea hit me. The running water drowns out the sound of my retches... mostly. I hope my dorm mates aren't suspecting anything. Rose and Dom already know, but I'm not ready to explain to Emily Thomas, Clara Wheaten or Samantha Finnegan quite yet.

_Really, I'm not ready to explain to anyone yet._

After vomiting for what seemed to be a century- (Merlin, my child must already hate me to be making me so sick), I stand up slowly, facing myself in the mirror. My hair, which had been straightened and smoothed so carefully yesterday by Dom, is now frizzy and unruly curly again. My eyes are red and puffy from the multiple breakdowns I enjoyed yesterday. My clothes are wrinkled. I don't look like the kind of person who is prepared to tell her parents that she has a human growing inside her body.

I look like a bloody mental patient from the psych ward of St Mungos. I should know, I visit there enough with dad.

After showering, running a comb through my curly hair, and brushing my teeth, I head down to the Great Hall. I sit down at the Gryffindor table beside Albus and Louis.

"How was your date," Al asks with a smirk.

"Peachy," I reply with faux-cheeriness.

They share a knowing expression.

"Eh?" Louis raises an eyebrow. "Scorp said it looked a bit rocky."

I roll my eyes. "Scorpius may be a Gryffindor, but he's more slippery than any Slytherin I've ever met," I snap. In reality, Scorpius is a really good bloke. He's kind and funny, and he's really quite loyal. Really opposite from the rest of his family. My dad calls him the "Sirius Black" of the current generation. "You thick-heads will believe anything anybody tells you," I smirk, loading my plate with deviled eggs.

_What the bloody hell? I don't even like deviled eggs. They just smell divine..._

James strides up to the table, wearing his best smile. He's an excellent faker, that James Potter.  
"Oi! Longbottom," he grins. "Your dear old dad asked me to come get you. He wants you in his office."

I stand up quickly, suddenly not feeling hungry at all. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he chirps. "Here, I'll walk with you." He extends an arm. Albus and Louis wolf whistle. I roll my eyes and take his arm.

As we walk out of the Great Hall, James' smile fades. "That was a smooth way to get us out," I say quietly.

"Please," he says with a half smile, "you don't grow up with George Weasley without learning how to tell a good lie or two."

I laugh slightly, but stop suddenly as we approach the door to my dad's study. "Ready?" I don't ever remember being this nervous.

James simply nods, his face is a funny shade of green.

I knock on the door.

_Good Godric. What have I done?_

The door swings open almost immediately to reveal the smiling face of my mother. "Lizie! And Jamesie!" She throws her arms around the two of us. "What a surprise visit, so early on a Sunday."

My mother acts like she never sees us. I have to keep reminding her how lucky she is to live at the castle. She sees us whenever she bloody well pleases. Most parents have to wait until there's a holiday. "Hi Mum," I say quietly. "Is Daddy here?"

Mum nods, then steps to the side, gesturing for the two of us to come into the cozy room. My father is sitting in an armchair opposite my nine year old, and youngest brother Robbie. They're deeply involved in a game of Wizard's chess. "Hi, kids," my dad says absently, not looking up.

"Daddy, we need to talk to you," I just want to get this over with.

"Can it wait, Lize?" My father smirks as his knight smashes Robbie's bishop.

"Not really," I snap.

"We're in the middle of a game," Robbie whines.

_For the love of Merlin. Why did I have to have so many obnoxious brothers?!_

"Robbie, could you go find Al for me? I need you to play him in a game. He won't shut up about how good he is, and I need someone to put him in his place," James says kindly. "He's in the Great Hall."

Robbie nods and stands up. "Later," he says, looking at my dad. "Later we duel."

_Good grief. All the theatrics._

My mother is looking slightly concerned, but my dad looks oblivious. "Take a seat, kids," mum says softly, pointing to the sofa opposite the two arm chairs. James and I sit down slowly as my mother sinks into the chair beside my dad.

"What do you kids need?" My father. He never was one to catch on quickly.

"Well," James begins nervously, looking down at his hands.

"I'm pregnant," I blurt.

My mother's face goes white, but my father still looks confused. "What?"

"Oh... Oh, Eliza," my mother says slowly. I can hear her voice, dripping with pity and disappointment. Her eyes are beginning to glisten with tears. "My baby..." She's looking down.

"What?" My father says again.

"Daddy... I'm pregn-"

Suddenly, my father is on his feet, gripping James by his collar. "Are you trying to tell me that my sixteen year old daughter... Is pregnant?"

James looks positively terrified.

"Neville," my mother says warningly.

"DON'T, HANNAH," my father roars, looking furious. Never, in my life have I seen my dad so angry. "You're telling me," he screams in James' face, "that you. My godson, of all people... Got my daughter pregnant?"

James still hasn't said a word.

"Let him go!" I stand, but my father puts his hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down to the sofa.

"I take it you were both drunk? She didn't really understand what she was doing? You thought you'd have a bit of fun?"

James finally opens his mouth. "No, Neville! I-"

"She's young, not much experience drinking. Probably gets tipsy easily. Real easy to take advantage of?" My father suddenly switches to a dangerous whisper.

"Neville," my mother snaps again. "You put him-"

"I wasn't drunk!"

_Oh dear._

All three heads snap to look at me. James has an expression of thorough confusion and fear.

"What?"

I swallow. "I... I wasn't drunk... The night it happened. I suppose that makes me the one w-who took advantage," I look down at my feet. "Who took advantage of him," I stammer.

My dad drops James' collar and sinks down beside my mother. "Eliza..."

Then we all sit in silence.

After what must have been ten minutes, I burst into tears. "I'm s-so sorry-y-y," I sob. "I d-didn't think a-about the conse-hic-quences. And n-now..." I gesture to my stomach.

My father stands silently and leaves the room. I look desperately at my mother. She stands and walks to the sofa, sitting down beside me and wrapping her arms around me. "My baby," she whispers, stroking my hair. "It'll be okay," she says softly.

James still hasn't said a word. He's simply staring straight forward with wide eyes. Leaving me to sob into my mother's shoulder.

"We need to get you to Poppy- erm... Madame Pomfrey," mum says slowly. I nod into her shoulder. "But not today," she says. "Today you're allowed to just cry."

_How did I get lucky enough to land the mother I got?_

"We love you... But we're so disappointed... In the both of you."

_I spoke too soon._

After a lecture, and some tears from mum, followed by reassurances that she would talk to my dad, she sends James and I out of the study to walk back to the common room.

"James... Please say something."

He looks at me with a confused expression. "You... You weren't drunk?"

I look down at the floor and shake my head.

"Then... Then why'd you do it?"

_Shit._

**Author's Note:**

**Okay. I'm really unhappy with this chapter, but here it is, I suppose. I would like to thank you all again, from the bottom of my heart for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing. It means so much to me. You're all lovely. Xoxo!**


	6. Facing the Music

**Chapter 6- facing the music**

I still haven't looked up at James. We've both stopped walking, and now we're stood in the middle of the corridor.

"Go on," James voice is starting to shake. "Why'd you do it? Why'd you accept those drunken advances?"

I still haven't looked up. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. "I just..."

James grasps my shoulders and takes my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his. "Why?" He sounds deadly serious.

I feel my eyes fill up with tears. "I j-just..." I take a shuddering breath. "I think I love you, James."

He takes his hands off of my shoulders, looking thoroughly shaken. "You... You what?"

I feel like I'm going to be sick. "I think... I think I love you. I think I have since we were just kids... I just..."

"Stop!" James looks... Terrified. "Stop, Eliza! You don't... You don't love me. You don't know what you're talking about."

I stare up into his hazel eyes for a moment before vomiting at his feet.

_Eliza. Aren't you just enchanting?_

He looks down at his feet for a moment, clearly horrified. "I... I have to be alone," he stammers, before sprinting away.

I wipe my mouth on the back of my hand. I want to cry as I watch him sprint down the corridor. I want to scream and sob and curse the Potter spawn that currently resides in my uterus... But I can't bring myself to do it. I've cried myself dry.

I walk slowly back to the common room. The Fat Lady glares down at me as though she still hasn't forgotten about our last encounter. "Password?"

"B-boomslang," I whisper quietly.

"Hmm," she huffs, before swinging open. I walk into the common room to see Rose, sitting on a sofa looking quite irritated. It isn't a mystery as to why when I catch a glimpse of Fred and Louis sitting beside her, and Albus and Scorpius sitting on the floor in front of her..

"Oh, come on, Rosie! Just tell us how it went!" Fred is poking Rose's arm.

"Just give us an idea of how it went," Albus whines.

"Why? Why is it any of your business?" Rose snaps. "What happens between Liza and James should stay between Liza and James."

"But he finally got her to go out with him! He's been praying for this day for years!" Louis sighs loudly.

"Look, Mates," Scorpius says slowly. "I saw part of it. Like I said earlier, it looked a bit rocky."

Rose kicks Scorpius softly in the leg, looking thoroughly annoyed. "That isn't our business, Scorpius! If you want to know-"

"You'll just have to ask me," I say loudly, stalking quickly up to them.

_What an entrance. Definite points for style._

Scorpius looks up guiltily. "H-hey! Look guys, it's Liza!" He says with faux-cheeriness. Rose rolls her eyes.

"The date went fine," I snap to the five of them. "But, I can assure you there won't be a second date," I say bitterly.

"What? Why?" Albus looks thouroughly confused.

"He has no interest in me."

Fred bursts out laughing, and soon they're all laughing with him.

"I fail to see the humor in this," I snap.

"It's funny... It's funny because," Fred says, struggling to breath through his laughter. "Because he's absolutely enamoured with you.

I roll my eyes. "Just bugger off, the lot of you," I snap. "You're lying."

Albus sighs. "Lize. I know my brother better than anybody. Trust me. I know exactly how he feels about you."

"Just leave me alone," I huff, stomping away from the group on the sofa, and up the stairs to my dormitory. I throw myself onto my bed, face down into the pillows.

_It's cute how you thought you were cried out._

I begin to sob into my pillows. I cry for myself, because I know that James doesn't love me like I love him. I cry for Rose because she's constantly annoyed by her cousins. I cry for my parents because now they're fighting.

I fight for my baby, because it won't grow up with parents that love each other.

I cry for a few hours before I start to feel like I'm falling asleep. And actually... I feel a lot better.

**James' POV:**

She told me... She told me she loves me. Words I've been wanting to hear since my second year.

And I pushed her away.

What are you supposed to say to that? I just want... Want to make it better.

I've been hiding in the Quidditch changing room all day. I've cried, I've sworn. I've done all the things you would expect a hormonal, psychotic teenage girl to act.

_Don't ever tell Albus that I compared myself to a teenage girl. He'll never let me live it down._

She said she loved me... Then she vomited... But I still ran away. Does that make me a coward? Rose always did tell me I ran away from my feelings.

This is too much to comprehend. It's my last year of Hogwarts! I should be worried about NEWT's and beating Slytherin's ass in Quidditch. I shouldn't be worried about how I'm going to support my pregnant best friend and our unborn child. I just need to clear my head.

I find myself going to my locker to get my firebolt. It doesn't seem like it's very smart to rocket myself hundreds of feet into the air when I'm this emotionally unstable... But nothing makes me happier than taking a flight.

I kick off from the ground. The wind that shoots through my hair immediately calms me as I rise higher into the sky. I can feel my anxiety begin to melt away. The endorphins start to rush through my system. I start to feel like I can handle this. I can be a grown up for a while. I can- for once in my life- wear my heart on my sleeve. I can tell Eliza how I feel about her.

"I love Eliza Minerva Longbottom!" I'm screaming at the top of my lungs as I zoom around the Quidditch pitch in the twilight. I'm screaming, and for once, I don't care who hears.

Now I just have to work up the courage to tell her.

**Author's note:**

**Hi hi! Geez. It's been AGES since I last posted. So sorry! I promise the next chapter will be up quick! I'm not thrilled with this chapter, but there had to kind of be a filler somewhere. I swear that the next chapter will be much better. Please please continue to review! It means the world to me! Xoxoxo!**


	7. A Little Green Monster

**Chapter 7: A little green monster**

"Eliza!" Someone is singing my name. I squint over to my bedside table and catch a glimpse of the clock.

"What in the name of Merlin?! It's two in the morning!"

I look up to see Dominique and Rose standing over me. They both have a ridiculous Cheshire Cat smiles plastered on their faces.

"Lizzzzzaaaaa," Rose sings again. I groan as I grab my glasses off of the bedside table and shove them onto my nose.

"WHAT?"

"You won't believe what's going on in the common room!" Dominque squeals excitedly.

"What could possibly be so important and exciting that you would feel the need to come wake me- your delicate and pregnant friend, who needs her rest- at two in the bloody morning?!" I'm sure I sound snippy, but I'm exausted... Emotionally and physically. I couldn't care less about what's happening downstairs.

"Just come onnnn," Rose whines.

I allow Rose to grab my wrist and pull me to my feet. She tries to rush me to the stairs, but I'm moving deliberately slow, dragging my feet.

"Stop josteling me," I snap. "Rushing me down the stairs isn't good for the baby."

"That's a load of owl dung," Dom snorts. "You don't know the first thing about what's good for the baby. Stop making stuff up."

_She's got me there._

"Well, in any case, it's making me sick," I whine. "So quit it. What even is going o-" we enter the common room.

"Eliza!"

The common room is fairly full of people, which is shocking. I turn my head to see where the voice that called my name is coming from. The voice belongs to James, who's standing in the middle of the common room.

I scowl. "Oh no you don't," I say, turning to glare at Rose and Dom. "I'm not letting this conversation happen in front of all of Gryffindor house. Not while I'm in my pajamas and glasses. Not while my breath smells like this."

Rose rolls her eyes. "Oh come on, Liza! Just go talk to him!"

"No," I say firmly. I stand on tiptoe to get a look at James. "NO." I yell towards him.

"Wait! I really need to speak to you, Little E," I calls back.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT," I scream. I whirl around and run into something very... Solid. It's a person. I look straight up into the face of the very tall, very handsome Colin Finnigan. "S-sorry," I stutter, adjusting my glasses on my nose.

Colin laughs, exposing his perfect teeth. I feel myself blush. "Not a problem, Liza," he grins.

_That beautiful Scottish accent..._

"I was actually looking for you. I was wondering..."

James has been elbowing people out of his path, making his way towards me. I hide my smile, knowing he's in earshot of this conversation.

"I was wondering if you would want to have a study... Date with me," Colin smiles sheepishly.

I feel myself blush. I certainly wasn't expecting this. "A... A date? You want to go on a date with... Me?"

Colin's smile fades. "I... Oh, you don't want to."

"Damn right she doesn't!" James' voice calls from behind me. I whirl around angrily. "She's my girl, she is." He slips an arm around my waist.

"You smell drunk, you idiot," I snarl. I push his arm off of me. "And I'm not your girl." I want to slap him in the face. Who in Merlin's name does he think he is? I can hardly see, I'm so full of rage. "Get away from me, James."

James scowls. "But Eliza... I thought..."

"You thought wrong," I whisper, anger filling my every consinant. I turn back to Colin, who looks mortified and confused. "I..." I still sound angry. I take a deep breath. "I would love to go on a study date with you." I give him a shy smile.

Colin grins widely and puts his hand on the back of his neck. "Great! Great, does tomorrow night sound good?"

Before I can respond, I hear James stomp away, and the sound of smashing glass. The idiot has overturned a table full of Butter Beer bottles.

"That sounds perfect," I yell over Lily Potter's furious stream of curse words aimed at her eldest brother.

Colin grins, then waves over my shoulder to Carter Creevy. "I'll see you then," he says back loudly before stalking past me.

I feel myself smile incredulously, despite a slight twinge of sadness in my stomach. I realize that James isn't the only boy at Hogwarts. I know that I'll have fun hanging around with Colin. He's smart, he's funny, he's handsome.

_But he isn't your James._

I roll my eyes and push that thought to the back of my mind. James. Who needs him? Certainly not me. No matter that this kid is his, no matter that I'm still hopelessly in love with him... I'm gonna go out with Colin, and I'm gonna like it.

The thought of that makes me absolutely exausted.

"Lizie?" Rose is suddenly in front of me, grasping my shoulders. "You look like you're going to pass out. Lets get you back to bed."

Rose helps me up the stairs and back into my bed. With my head full of confused thoughts and emotions, I finally drift off into an easy sleep.

James' POV:

"FINNIGAN?"

"James, please stop yelling."

I stare incredulously at Albus for a moment before shaking my head and laughing humorlessly. "Finnigan! Finnigan is the one who ruined this night for me," I snarl.

"I think you ruined this night by deciding you would profess your love to her in front of all of Gryffindor house," Albus retorts.

"I thought it would be romantic!"

"You thought wrong."

I sigh, and run a hand through my messy hair. I know Albus is trying to help, but the only thing he's managing to do is piss me off even more. "I just can't seem to get a break," I say.

Al rolls his eyes. "It's just one night. Things will be better in the morning. Plus, what does it matter if you two never go out? You're friends. That's what's important."

I take off my glasses and rub my eyes. "You don't get it."

Albus looks at me blankly. "What don't I get?"

I take a deep breath. "Lize... Lize is pregnant... And it's mine."

Albus' jaw drops. "She's... But when did you... How?"

I shrug. "After a match. I was drunk. She was... Willing."

Albus shakes his head slowly. "Do mum and dad know? I mean... This is big news."

He looks a little panicked. "Nope," I say shortly. "I haven't exactly been able to find the words to tell them that I knocked up my best friend yet."

Albus walks slowly over to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I'll help you with her, James," he says softly.

I laugh weakly. "You're a good brother, Al." I feel my smile drop slightly. "I'm gonna tell her. She's

going to love me back. You'll see."

In the back of my mind I know it may just be wishful thinking, but true love is supposed to conquer all, right?

**Author's note:**

**HELLO! It's been a while... So sorry! Please rate and review, and tell me what you liked, didn't like, any surprises... Also, I'm soooo excited to finally be able to introduce you all to Colin. He's one of my favorite characters. XOXO!**


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